Crime is a major problem in South Africa and many people keep weapons at home.

Pistorius is also known as an adrenalin junkie, with a love of speed reflected in a passion for motorbikes.

Four years ago he crashed his boat in a river south of Johannesburg, breaking two ribs, an eye socket and his jaw.

He also once owned two white tigers but sold them to a zoo in Canada when they became too big.

The Johannesburg-born athlete won gold in the 4x100m relay and the 400m individual at the Paralympic Games in London.

He was triple gold medallist in the Beijing games in 2008 in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

Pistorius was named by Time magazine last year as one of the world's 100 most influential people.

"You're not disabled by your disabilities but abled by your abilities," he told Athlete magazine in a 2011 interview.

He had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old after being born without lower leg bones. But he played sports unhindered while growing up, switching to running after fracturing a knee playing rugby.

At high school, he was so good that his personal fitness coach said she was unaware for six months that he ran on prosthetic legs.

But he was initially banned from competing in the Olympics in Beijing by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on the grounds that his blades gave him an unfair advantage.

That decision was later overturned on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), although he ultimately failed to meet the Olympic qualifying standard time.

His first race for 2013 was due to take place in Australia. He was scheduled to arrive in Sydney on March 6 and compete in able-bodied 400m events in Sydney on March 9 and Perth on March 16.